Over the holidays, I watched the Will Ferrell movie “Elf” on two occasions. Although I don’t normally like that sort of silly/slapstick humor, there is enough of a story there to make it work. All told, I suppose I have seen the stupid thing a couple dozen times. One scene that always cracks me up occurs the morning after Buddy the Elf has stayed up all night decorating the toy department in anticipation of Santa’s...

Ah, the first Friday of the month. That can only mean one thing: the Employment Situation report. What will it tell us about the strength of the US economy? Are employers adding jobs, or cutting them? Is the American worker making more or less money than they were? Oh, the data embedded in the roughly 40 page report! And how the investment industry analyzes the stew out of it! Two words: good times. I don't...

This morning’s Employment Situation report was better than most people anticipated. The economy created some 195K new payrolls during June, and all seems well with the world. Why in the heck would anyone look a gift horse in the mouth, or complain about the free beer being too cold? I suppose it is just in my nature. Simply put, the data was a little too good, given the overall level of economic activity we have seen recently. After all, we...

Do you ever hear what you want to hear, and little else? Are you a glass is half-full or half-empty type of person? Do you find silver linings in dark clouds, or the other way around? Let me answer these questions for you with: “it depends on the situation, of course!” After all, few of us are either overly pessimistic or optimistic all of the time. In fact, we tend to send such...

Example: Yes, I would like to receive emails from Oakworth Capital. (You can unsubscribe anytime)

Constant Contact Use.

By submitting this form, you are granting: Oakworth Capital Bank, 2100A Southbridge Parkway, Birmingham, AL, 35209, permission to email you. You may unsubscribe via the link found at the bottom of every email. (See our Email Privacy Policy (http://constantcontact.com/legal/privacy-statement) for details.) Emails are serviced by Constant Contact.